Doolittle sirens up and running

Tuesday

Aug 20, 2013 at 11:02 AM

DOOLITTLE — After several years of discussion and paperwork, the emergency storm sirens are finally up in Doolittle.

Eddie O'Neill

DOOLITTLE — After several years of discussion and paperwork, the emergency storm sirens are finally up in Doolittle. The two 50-foot poles with omnidirectional sirens at the top went up Thursday, Aug. 15. One is located at the Doolittle Self Storage on Eisenhower Street and the other one is located on the west side of town by Highway C. Gascosage Electric Coop was responsible for the installation of both sirens. The sirens which were paid for through a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant, are connected to the town's power lines and carry a back-up battery system just in case the power should go out in the area. According to Mayor Paul Smith, the system is not yet connected to the Phelps County emergency 911 system.Therefore, someone with a set of keys would have to physically open the utility box at the bottom of the pole and push a button to sound the alarm. "We hope to be connected to the county's computer system within a month," said Smith. "When we are connected, the sirens can be sounded via our police radio system and through the county's emergency wireless system."